Chapter 205: Demons on Horseback

"Streit!"

The Crown Prince grabbed my hand. Without realizing it, I had clenched my fists so hard that blood was seeping out. He tore a strip of cloth himself and wrapped my hand. He hadn’t forgotten what he’d learned during the war.

"...Thank you, Your Highness."

"I thought you were made of iron. It’s nice to see you’re human after all."

I’d rather be made of iron at a time like this. The Crown Prince sighed and said with a bitter smile that it turned out I was the one who needed calming down. I managed to compose myself before the Count of Baschurten was brought in.

"You summoned me, Your Highness?"

"...I want to entrust an important mission to you, Count."

"To me?"

The Count of Baschurten clearly found this unexpected, his face clouding with suspicion. He must have assumed the Crown Prince held him in contempt. And he was right about that. I wanted to kill him.

"I want to apologize for the rudeness shown to you during the meeting."

"Hmph, as long as you know your place. I don’t want to hear any more about it. So what’s this mission?"

When I took a humble stance, the Count of Baschurten seemed satisfied and showed interest in the mission. His face even flushed with excitement. I swallowed my murderous intent and spoke.

"We’ve arranged to engage the Southern rebels on the plains south of Hissen in three days. The day before the battle, I’d like you to hide in the forest near Hissen in advance. Once the fighting begins, flank around and ambush the enemy’s command. It is a critical mission."

"You’re entrusting such an important mission to me? Are you serious?"

If he could ambush the enemy command, the battle would be as good as won. It was an opportunity to earn enormous credit, so he was naturally suspicious about why it was being offered to him.

"If you don’t wish to take it, I’ll do it myself. If it weren’t for the Crown Prince’s direct order, I wouldn’t have even called you here."

"...Was this discussed with the other lords?"

"No. For security reasons, we’re only telling you."

The Count of Baschurten seemed to deliberate for a moment, but in the end, he took the bait. He never would have imagined that his true allegiance had already been exposed and a trap had been set.

"My force is the smallest, so perhaps I’m best suited for an ambush after all."

I briefed him on the detailed operational plan. All of it was, of course, fabricated. The moment I departed for Feuzen, the Count of Baschurten would be finished. Count Euz and Count Belfort were already prepared.

As the flushed Count of Baschurten left the room, the Crown Prince let out a long sigh.

"Will the count pass this information along to the Southern rebels?"

"Without a doubt. Isn’t it the perfect setup for ambushing our forces?"

"Thank goodness he didn’t suspect too much."

He had suspected, to a degree, but he hadn’t thought it through.

Through the Scouter, I could determine whether he truly believed it or not.

The Count of Baschurten was not a wise lord.

"If he were that capable, he wouldn’t have earned such a reputation. It’s likely the Count of Baschurten is nothing more than a pawn the Count of Basel is using, destined to be discarded."

"Used and then thrown away? The miserable end of a traitorous noble."

While Fiel was rallying the cavalry, I had already ordered Anton to mobilize the remaining Gale Knights and concentrate their surveillance around the Baschurten army’s camp.

As expected, the Count of Baschurten secretly dispatched a messenger to the Southern rebels. Anton detected him, led his men in pursuit, and captured the messenger alive. I confiscated the letter the messenger was carrying.

"It’s a letter of collusion bearing the Count of Baschurten’s signature."

"So now we have our justification. Nngh."

Every last detail of the operational plan I’d laid out was recorded in the letter, word for word. The decisive evidence was the Count of Baschurten’s signature. The Crown Prince immediately convened a meeting.

I did not attend.

The rest was for the Crown Prince and the lords to handle.

From here on, my task was to rescue Feuzen—and then to attack the other detachment hiding in Baschurten, neutralizing the assault on Euz. For now, I was quietly waiting for Viktor.

Fiel deserved praise for hastily assembling the cavalry reinforcements. With Elisabeth’s life at stake, he had fully mobilized the Steinhof knights who had come from the main house to carry out the order.

The Steinhof knights arriving on time was a stroke of luck.

I packed cavalry lances for breaking enemy formations, along with light supplies.

"You come from different backgrounds and different allegiances, but for the time being, you’ll be operating under my command."

I summoned every lieutenant leading a squad. There were roughly 40 of them. This was my first time commanding so many cavalry. But everything was too urgent to bask in the thrill of having such a force.

"It’s an honor just to fight under the Gale Knight!"

Count Euz’s cavalrymen, who had experience fighting alongside me, were enthusiastic. The cavalry from Belfort and Essenbach showed little reaction. The way to light a fire under them was quite simple.

"After we crush the enemy forces attacking Feuzen, we march on Baschurten. I’ll forbid massacre, but we will strip Baschurten of every last bit of its wealth. And I’ll distribute a share of it among you."

"You’ll guarantee our cut?"

"I promise. Every cavalryman who’s ridden with me has come away rich."

That was the truth. That’s why the duchy’s cavalrymen were so favorable toward me. Some of Count Euz’s cavalrymen even testified that they’d earned a considerable fortune riding with me before. At that, the look in their eyes changed.

When rewards were guaranteed, cavalrymen became loyal allies. That was the way of this era.

North of Rosenheim, roughly 400 riders finally assembled.

Viktor, who had received word, arrived shortly after. He’d ridden like a man possessed the moment he got the withdrawal order, which was why he linked up relatively quickly. All horses were swapped out for fresh reserves.

[Warning! Feuzen is under attack! Warning!]

The periodic warnings proved that Feuzen was still holding out. But my legs still went weak each time. I wanted to ride for Feuzen immediately, but preparations weren’t finished yet.

I had to be perfectly prepared, then sweep the enemy away without fail.

Haste could ruin everything.

The more urgent the situation, the more carefully you must proceed.

I endured. I was patient.

Once the fully prepared Gale Knights joined up, the force swelled to a total of 475 riders. An enormous number. I’d never led this many cavalry before.

They were a mix of different garb and different origins. They would be the stalwart allies who saved Feuzen, and to the enemy, they would be merciless demons. Because I intended to make them exactly that.

"Forward! Forward!"

"Don’t fall behind!"

And I, too, intended to become a demon.

I would no longer hold back my killing intent.

Rumble, rumble, rumble, rumble!

The cavalry thundering northward was as grand and spirited as though they could shake the earth itself. At the prospect of massive earnings, the cavalry’s fighting spirit surged visibly before my eyes.

Simple-minded lot.

From here on, the Commander Scouter would do the heavy lifting.

I scanned every inch within radar range. After two hours, we finally neared Feuzen. The radar picked up the enemy force: 10 units, roughly 1,000 men.

Raaaaaah!

South of Feuzen stood a large hill—perfect for concealing 475 riders. I didn’t make the mistake of attacking immediately. I gave the horses, which had galloped without rest, a brief respite.

Five minutes.

Ten minutes.

Thirty minutes.

I waited with superhuman patience.

Until Mont Blanc’s ragged breathing subsided.

Giving exhausted horses time to rest was critical. It was about gathering strength to unleash everything at once. Tension crept across the cavalrymen’s faces. The real battle started now.

"Fiel, take the Steinhof knights and hold the front! Anton, stick close behind me!"

"All cavalry, lower your visors!"

"Heavy cavalry to the front! Move it!"

"Viktor! Take charge of the rear guard!"

"Leave it to me! I’ll chase them down to the last man!"

The cavalry formed up at the base of the hill. Beyond the crest, the shouts and faint gunfire told me that the firearms I’d introduced to Feuzen were doing their job.

Lance-wielding heavy cavalry took the lead. I, too, raised a shield and lance I rarely used. Fiel and the Steinhof knights eagerly volunteered for the vanguard.

"Over a thousand enemies stand before us! But they’re so consumed with attacking Feuzen that they’ve left their flanks wide open! We will tear through those flanks and trample them!"

I rode Mont Blanc to the front of the cavalry. Anton raised the banner and followed close behind. Every cavalryman’s eyes were locked on me. For the first time in my life, I prayed to God with all my heart.

Grant strength to this foolish, sinful knight!

Feeling the powerful beat of my heart, I shouted to the cavalry.

"Brave cavalrymen of Beren, we will cross that hill and become the storm! Death to the enemy!"

"Death to the enemy!"

Power surged through every fiber of my body.

I screamed until my throat tore.

"Death to the enemy!"

"Death to the enemy!"

Raaaaaah!

The cavalry crested the hill and reached the summit. Spread before us were the countless enemy troops assaulting Feuzen, and through the haze of smoke, my soldiers holding on with everything they had.

"All forces, charge!"

Four hundred and seventy-five riders swept down the hill as one. The earth-shaking, overwhelming force of a great charge, spearheaded by fearsome cavalry lances, had begun.

My red cloak billowed in the wind.

We would become the storm of the battlefield.